I Believe in You
by carlotta1924
Summary: The Dollmaker mission goes awry and Felicity wakes up in the abandoned factory, about to be the Dollmaker's next victim...


_I don't own Arrow. Just borrowed some lines for this story. :)_

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Felicity breathed a little sigh of relief as the man from across the street simply walked into the store.

"False alarm, but the next time I offer myself to be bait for a serial killer, please turn me down-mmph!" Felicity never got to finish whatever she had to say next as Mathis covered her mouth and dragged her back into the alley. Oliver got to them and a scuffle ensued between him and Mathis, resulting in Felicity getting away from Mathis... and then she stumbled and hit her head on a dumpster as she fell.

The next thing she knew, she was gagged and tied up in a dark room with equipment that looked suspiciously like the Dollmaker's.

_Why am I here?_

As if in answer, her own words came back to haunt her.

_It's my life. It's my choice. _

Felicity groaned inwardly as she remembered her brave words to Oliver. Now she's really in for it. She's never going to see the light of day again. She's going to be displayed like a life-sized porcelain doll dressed in a frilly white dress for the all the world to see. Argh. This is how her life will end up because of the choice that she made. But something was wrong with this picture. Very wrong. She just couldn't put her finger on to what should have happened, only that she knew she was not supposed to be here. Where are Oliver and Diggle? Where is Detective Lance? Weren't they watching out for her? They should have gotten to her in time. But then Felicity remembered that Oliver _did_ get to her in time before she blacked out. But where is he now?

"Ah, welcome back to the land of the living," Mathis's creepy-quiet voice interrupted her rambling thoughts. He was holding a canister of the liquid polymer that's swishing ominously inside. "Or should I be saying 'So long' instead?"

"Mmph! Mmmpphhh!" Felicity tried to scream through her gag as she struggled against the bonds.

"I must say, your friend the Hood put up a really good fight. He even brought backup with him," Mathis said conversationally. "But then again, I am just more quick than the three of them put together. I expect that the police should have gotten their pretty present by now. Oh wait, make that three pretty presents."

No longer having the strength to scream, Felicity could only look at the Dollmaker with wide, frightened eyes.

_You're an animal, do you know that! What did you do to Dig and Detective Lance? To Oliver? No one should find out who he is! _

Mathis leaned over Felicity, running a gentle finger on her cheeks. "You have such beautiful skin. So soft, so smooth, unmarred by any imperfection. I'm glad that you walked so willingly into my arms. I could never thank you enough for that. You are my newest gift to the world. And now, so long, miss." Mathis then proceeded to pour the liquid into the tube that would spell a quick death for Oliver's favourite IT girl.

Felicity fought valiantly against the straps that bound her despite the fact that the white liquid coursing through the tube toward her mouth was coming closer and closer. No, she can't die like this. She _won't_ die like this! And in spite of what Mathis had told her, she knew in her heart that Oliver would come for her. What Detective Lance told Oliver about her was true. She really believes in Oliver. And so even at the very last moment, Felicity knows that Oliver will come to save her.

The first few drops of the polymer trickled into Felicity's mouth, starting to block her airway. And even as it became harder for her to breathe, all that she held on to was that Oliver will come to save her, yes he will...

Felicity shot up in her bed, gasping hard for breath and shaking from fear. It took her a few minutes to realise where she was. She started to sob with relief as she slowly took in the familiar surroundings. No, she was not with the Dollmaker. She was safe in her own home. She remembers that the Arrow and the girl with the black mask defeated the Dollmaker.

And then when she thought that she could no longer get the shock of her life, a pair of arms suddenly came around her and held her close.

"Shh. You're all right now, Felicity. It was just a nightmare." Oliver brushed Felicity's hair away from her face and wiped her tears.

Felicity's hands fisted hard on Oliver's shirt. "O-Oliver? You-you saved me. I... I knew you'd c-come to save me," she hiccupped. "The... the Dollmaker... Mathis... he said..." More tears streamed down her face.

"He's not here anymore, Felicity. I am," Oliver said reassuringly. He held her tighter and started to rub her back in soothing circles. "I'm here whenever you need me. And you know that I'll never allow anybody to hurt you."

"Thank you, Oliver. You're my hero." Comforted by Oliver's presence and quiet strength, Felicity's breathing became easier and more even. And as she drifted back into sleep, she couldn't quite let go of the fact that Oliver Queen was indeed in her home, and in her bedroom, no less. "And oh... how did you get in here?" she asked sleepily.

Felicity thought she heard him chuckle a little and say, "Through the window, how else?" but she wasn't sure. Oh well. She'll make sure to ask him again tomorrow when everything is light and bright once more. For now she will sleep better, thanks to Oliver's presence. She might even have a nice dream with him in it, too. Whether in real life or in dreams, she really does believe in Oliver Queen.

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this is my first fic. thanks for reading :)


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